College Life - May Edition by St Edmund's College and Prep

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COLLEGE LIFE The newsletter of St Edmund's College | May 2021

Headmaster's Welcome Welcome to the May edition of College Life. Please click on me for a more personal introduction, and then browse to your heart’s content!

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Headmaster's Book Students that have produced outstanding work or have had a remarkable personal achievement are recognised by being selected to sign the Headmaster's Book. Congratulations to the following students for signing the Headmaster's Book during this half term.

Scarlett Gale

English

Mingxuan Song

Lewis Abdul-Karim

Selected for Team GB - Junior Golf

Fabrizio Ciraolo

Amelia James

Signed three times for Mathematics, Science and Religious Education

Matthias Kreuter

History

Aleksander Marchev DT Kayolan Lazarov

Moriah Gordon

English

Ahana Matharu

Religious Education

Cornelia Scott

Signed twice for Science and German

Megan Crook

Signed once for Science and signed four times for English

Pippa Webster

Science

Austin Macdonald

English

Cosimo Cavaleri

English

Jessie Roberts

Charity Week

Alexander Shenouda Charity Week William Chisholm

Charity Week

Benjamin Thomas

Charity Week

Ogorchukwu Ozor

Charity Week

Giorgia Buraglio

Charity Week

Jodie Bailey-Ho

Charity Week

Georgia Davies

Charity Week

Alexander Simpson Charity Week William Taylor

Charity Week

Nina Bayford

Charity Week

Alicia Chugh

Charity Week

Rhetoric students signing the Headmaster's Book for their efforts during Charity Week.

Speech Day Update We are delighted that the government's plan to ease lockdown continues to be on track, and we will be able to hold our Speech Day as planned on the 3rd July!

3rd July 2021

Having missed last year's Speech Day, we are planning on making this one extra special with a day celebrating student achievements. Therefore, following the Prize Giving ceremony, we will all enjoy an afternoon of activities. Please save this special date in your calendars as we hope that all College families will be able to join this wonderful celebration for some or all of the day. When we return from half term, we will send further information and ask you to let us know what part of the day you will be attending to ensure we cater accordingly.

The day's events: 9.00am - Mass celebrated by Bishop Macaleenan 11.00am - Prize Giving Ceremony 1.00pm - House Drinks in the Clock Quad and Orchard 1.45pm - Afternoon Events Commence, which will include: - Musical performances - Drama performances - Sport which will include Tennis, Cricket and the Grand House Relay (which is a real spectacle and not to be missed!) - Afternoon Tea served during the afternoon 4.30pm - Close

Please bring a picnic, blanket, and drinks to enjoy while watching the afternoon activities.

Academic Life High Achievers The High Achievers in Ruds met for a hot chocolate and cake catch up before the summer exams. They discussed different ways to stay calm and relaxed during the preparation for and taking of the exams. Part of this strategy will be reading for enjoyment. The group will meet again in a month to share book reviews of the books they read during their exams. They hope to provide some recommendations for their peers for the summer holidays. - Dr Eves

Rocket launching Our Poetry (Y11) students launched rockets during their Science lessons!

Earth Day 2021 Our Rhetoric I (Y12) Geographers worked with Mrs Barnard to create a video sharing their ideas for 9 ways to reduce the impacts of climate change. It all starts with a simple pledge to help #RestoreOurEarth.

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Meet the MedSoc Team We're delighted to have re-ignited MedSoc at St Edmund's College! MedSoc is an exciting society for our Rhetoric students that are considering pursuing a career in Medicine. We have a fantastic committee, and we look forward to building the society over the coming years. To find out more, email mtowns@stedmundscollege.org or speak with a member of the Science department. - Miss Towns, Head of Science

Co-President

Ogorchukwu

I’m Ogorchukwu, and I’m copresident of the medical society. I aspire to study medicine because I want a dynamic profession that allows me to contribute and give back to society by improving public and global health.

Co-President

Georgia

Vice-President

Shriya

I’m Shriya. Studying medicine is an aspiration of mine because I have always been keen on making a difference on other people's lives, and having the rewarding satisfaction of a positive change is a powerful feeling.

Treasurer

Secretary

Esther

I’m Esther, and I am the secretary of the MedSoc. I am hoping to become a nurse, and so being part of MedSoc allows me to get a head start in the process and provides me with valuable knowledge going into the application process.

I’m Georgia. My aim in life is to enable people to live healthy, dignified lives by practicing medicine professionally and compassionately. As CoPresident of the St Edmund's Med Soc, I will ensure that all the committee members work together for the benefit of all the members, especially while pursuing personal aims to enhance the society.

Hon

I’m Hon and I am the Treasurer of the MedSoc. I have always been interested in medicine but, I gradually got more and more interested in the science behind the treatment, I want to go into psychiatry in the future as there is something about finding the reasoning behind thoughts that intrigues me.

St Edmund's Award It has been a brilliant half term for our St Edmund's Award students! In particular, our St Edmund's Award Grammar (Y9) group enjoyed their paddleboarding excursion to Herts Young Mariners Base. The students showed outstanding comradery, including all of their classmates in each activity, working together, communicating and showing positivity throughout. At points, our group spent more time in the water than on the boards, and there were plenty of laughs when Dylan Dawe, Myles Opong and Chloe Hayes showed a talent for pushing people off their paddles! - Mrs Pitman, Mrs York and Miss Roome

CCF

It is always fantastic to see students developing their leadership skills in the CCF and achieving promotion. On Tuesday 25th May, we were delighted to see Cadet Colour Sergeant Majors Ronnie Stephens and Francis Butterworth promoted to Cadet Sergeant Majors. This is the highest rank students can achieve within the CCF. With less than 50 students across the UK, it is a wonderful and thoroughly deserved achievement and rewards for their dedication and service since joining the College CCF as Grammar students. - Mr Upton, Talbot House MAster

Sergeant Majors Ronnie Stephens and Francis Butterworth were promoted to Cadet Sergeant Majors.

RAF

It has been an exciting half term in RAF, with gliding days and virtual flying simulators at the College. We congratulate Syntax students Lenny Schwarz and George Keogh for being awarded their blue gliding wings following their gliding day at RAF Syerston on Sunday 23rd May. They completed ground school and simulator training and then had two flights in the glider! - Mrs Duffy, HR Director

RAF cadets virtually flying planes on Tuesday 25th May!

Poetry's final assessments Our Poetry (Y11) had a fantastic day of shirt-signing and a whole-year BBQ on Friday 28th May following the completion of their GCSE assessments. Congratulations and we look forward to seeing you after half term!

Student secures place in IMG Junior World Championships Congratulations to Lewis, Elements (Year 7) for securing a place to play in the IMG Junior World Championships. On Sunday 18th April, Lewis competed in the British Junior Golf Tour qualifier against 11 other players in the age 11-12 category. It was an 18-hole competition where only the top 2 players would advance and gain a place in the Championships. Lewis placed 2nd, with a score of 79, which was seven over. He will now be representing team GB in San Diego this July. We wish him the best of luck!

Reminder

Elements Project Week Our focus is Green Fashion: Sustainable Solutions

We need your:

• Clothes/ accessories for recycling or upcycling • Plastic bottles • Clean drink cans/ crisp packets • Cartons

Monday 21st June to Thursday 24th June

We will need every Elements pupil to bring a bag of clean items (see list above) which could be recycled/ upcycled into school on Monday 21st June!

Period 7 It has been an exciting half term for Period 7 activities, with the continued easing of government restrictions allowing staff to offer increased opportunities for co-curricular development to our students.

Pictured, we see Eco Club working together to renovate benches, Animal Club spotting the newly-born lambs on-site and cuddling Mrs Davies' puppy, Gus, and Debating Club awarding Talbot House the Gavel following their series of debate competitions.

Sport

Peter Kelly, Director of Sport

With no summer sport being played at the College since 2019, this term saw the exciting return of Cricket, Tennis and Athletics, as well as the much-anticipated return of competitive fixtures. Unfortunately, the unusual May weather washed out a couple of weekends. However, we have still had great competitive matches with the likes of Bancroft’s School, Haileybury and multiple schools in the Hertfordshire County Athletics league. Girls’ football has been a great addition to the Trinity term fixtures. The U15 Girls’ team started with a fantastic 4-2 victory over Haileybury, which included a hattrick from Keira Ferns. The U13A Girls' team also played brilliantly, winning 3-0 against Chigwell School.

There have been some close-fought cricketing fixtures this term, with the Under 12 A team narrowly going down to Bancroft’s in the second to last over, despite a fantastic 98* partnership between Henry Huckle and captain Oliver Scott. Scott retired out with his first half-century for the College (51*). The U15 Boys’ cricket team have progressed through to the semi-finals of the County Plate competition with a convincing victory over Parmiters School. St Ed’s scored 152 for 3 in their 20 overs, with Jed Chick (62*) and Harry Smith (52*) top scoring. Parmiters were restricted to 120 for 5 in their reply. In the Girls’ competitive Tennis fixtures, there have been some heavily contested matches, with stand-out performances seeing Sienna Quail, Zara Gardezi and Daisy Hallam all winning their singles matches in the recent fixture Presdales.

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@SEC_Sport

Sport The Sports Department have continued to motivate and encourage sporting participation across the College. Lunchtime Tennis practise and 'Pop Up' Cricket has allowed students to socialise at lunch and improve their skills. After school sports practice has also provided further opportunities for students to participate in sport. Sprint Athletics workshops and Friday Night Tennis with Mr Cunnah have motivated the students.

Adam Cunnah, Head of Boys' Games & Challoner House Master

The Sports Department actively promoted Mental Health Awareness Week this year. Interactive resources and materials were shared with the College Community about Nature and its vital role in improving Student and Staff welfare.

Athletics has also blossomed, and the return of the County Athletics League has allowed all students to actively compete in track and field events for the College. Boys and Girls have represented the College in two meetings with great enthusiasm. The College will host an Athletics event in Ware after the Half term, which will allow more athletes to represent the College. Additionally, the Aegon Tennis Championship has started. Both boys and girls have played in fixtures against competing schools. The Junior and Intermediate Leagues are competitive, and we are encouraged by the College's early performances against Haileybury and Beaumont School. Follow @SEC_Sport to keep up to date with upcoming fixtures and results!

This month also saw the Old Edmundian Football Match! The OE Football Match began over eight years ago after Rhys Hunt (former Deputy Head Boy) asked me to be his sponsor and Godfather. Since then, the 'Confirmation Cup' has been played for over eight years, with OEs invited every year to compete. This year, once restrictions lifted, over 50 Old Edmundian students returned to the College to play in the match and socialise outside. The students enjoyed revisiting the grounds and returning to their school. The match is always played in good spirits, and this year Rhys Hunt's team took the victory on penalties. It was wonderful to see and hear how the OEs had been during the pandemic and reconnect with many families. I look forward to seeing new and old faces again next year!

SEC Music Animal Club Eco Club

Faith in Action Virtual Challenge On Saturday 1st May, Mrs Peirce led a group in the Faith in Action Virtual Challenge. The Virtual Challenge involved walking the distance of The St. Francis Way, which will take you 312 miles through an ancient Roman road from Florence to the Vatican. Instead, our group walked 312 miles as a group around the College, with virtual checkpoints along the way! Following the challenge, our students were invited to a Presentation of Medals by Mr Mostyn to celebrate their achievement. Congratulations!

Congratulations to Bethany Curtis Copeland, Lenny Schwarz, Freddie Trentham, Adriana Cassera, Dominic Cassera, Isabelle Antoniou, Cornelia Scott, Leah Edwards Amor, Ellis Kontkowski, Matthew Wu, George Keogh.

Planting Trees Our Prep and College students have been hard at work, planting hundreds of saplings donated by the Woodland Trust. On one day, our Prep students planted 270 saplings! Our commitment to positively impacting our environment is supported by our #PlantingNotPrinting initiative, which sees our prospectuses available in an online format, and any printed materials recyclable. With thanks to the Woodland Trust and staff, students and the wider community supporting our initiative.

Music As it wasn’t possible to visit the Spotlight Theatre this year for our usual full College Production, the Rhetoricians (Sixth Formers) have been working hard to rehearse ‘Friday Night’ - a show written by our Director of Music, Mr Woodhall!

On Thursday 27th and Friday 28th May, the cast and crew camped out at 119 studios in Standon to film and edit the show, which promises to be superb. Filming a small production in this way and performing for the camera has been a different but extremely enjoyable experience for the students. Those who wanted to get involved in the technical side of filming could act as Camera Operators. It promises to be superb viewing, and details about when and where you can watch will follow soon!

Charity Week 2.0 We are delighted to share that, as an Edmundian community, we have raised £31,737 for the Teenage Cancer Trust! Our students raised £5292 during Charity Week #2 this half term, with hose-a-teacher, bake sales, raffles and more! Thank you to students, parents, and staff for your exceptional efforts towards raising money for such a fantastic charity. The amount raised will be invaluable in providing support for teenagers with cancer and their families.

£31,737 raised for Teenage Cancer Trust!

Captured at the College Our staff and students take wonderful photos of St Edmund's College. Below, we share a few of our favourites.

Ronnie

Matthew

Isabelle

Miss Hibbert

Mr Pengelly

Mr Adams

With thanks to Mr Adams, Miss Hibbert, Ronnie, Isabelle, Mr Pegelly and Matthew for the photographs.

When?

14th – 25th June 2021

What is it?

Competition: Make the Change. Sustainable and successful living is about how we interact with the world around us; it’s about kindness shown to nature and our natural world but also kindness shown to each other.

How to enter?

Email your entries to thebigdraw@stedmundscollege.org by Friday 25th June 2021. For entries that are too large, please email to organise a point of collection.

Stay Connected We hope that you enjoyed our May edition of College Life. If you would like to be featured in our next half term edition, please email your stories or achievements to pcollison@stedmundscollege.org. You can also stay connected with us by following us on our social media platforms:

@stedmundscollegeandprep

@stedmundscollege.org

@stedmundsware

Please also visit our website at stedmundscollege.org to stay up to date with the latest news and events. We wish you a restful half term break and look forward to bringing you the next edition of College Life in July.

Avita Pro Fide!